Irony of Fate
by DragonEyeZ
Summary: Drizzt is mortally wounded when he manage to defeat Artemis Enteri. Bruenor’s POV. To LunaLillium for Sleep In Peace, Princess.


Title: The Irony of Fate  
Author: Dragoneyes  
Summary: Drizzt is mortally wounded when he manage to defeat Artemis   
Enteri. Bruenor's POV.  
Warning: Character death.  
Rating: PG.  
A/N: This is my very first attempt to do an angsty fic, so please R&R and   
tell me if I manage to.  
Disclaimer: Everyone and everything belongs to TSR and R.A Salvatore. I   
make no profit whatsoever besides mentally, and don't have any intention to   
either. This is just a small fic about something I suppose none of us wants   
R.A Salvatore to write...  
Credits: I had just finished reading Sleep In Peace, Princess for the n'th   
time. LunaLillium - this story is for you.  
  
I hold on to you, fearing to let go, to leave you. The blood oozes   
between my fingers despite my attempts to keep the wound close. And with   
each droplet, I feel your life seeping away. And for each drop of blood, I   
feel a little of myself dying. I carefully brush a strand of your white   
hair from your face with my free hand, then shifts, so that you may rest   
more comfortably.  
"B-brue..nor.."  
I hear your raggered words and lean over you, wiping a single red   
droplet from the corner of your mouth, wishing that I could remove your   
pain just as easily. You are dying, I know. But there is nothing I can do   
about it. Not this time.  
You clutch my hand tightly, so tight that it surprises me, gives me   
hope, until I realise that it is the pain which lends you its strenght.  
"I'm here, ye stupid drow," I somehow manage to reply beyond the   
lump in my throat, squeezing your hand in return, hoping that the contact   
might bring you back from the brink of death.  
The faintest of smiles crosses your face, filling my heart with hope   
for a second, and I watch as your eyes slid open, catching mine with their   
purple gaze.  
"Is.. is he..."  
"He's dead," I reply, knowing what you wish to say, and look up,   
looking at the assassin's lifeless corpse, lying where he fell, Twinkle   
still embedded in his heart.  
Only a few yards from him, the wicked dagger which I pulled from   
your chest, lies as well, its blade stained with your blood. I remember the   
feeling of magic when touching it, remembering all too clearly how I could   
sense it stealing your life. But though its removeal might have given you   
some more time to live in, I know that it is not much - Enteri managed to   
hurt you too bad before using his dagger.  
"Ye defeated him," I continue, knowing the meaning the words has to   
you, knowing what weight they carry with them.  
Again, your eyes close, and I hear a sigh of relief coming from you,   
and I lean forward again, fearing it to be your last breath. But I, too,   
sigh in relief, as I hear the sound of your continued, if troubled,   
breathing. I look up again, watching the sky, seeing that it is taking on   
the reddish colour of the rising sun.  
Where are they? It seems as hours since Regis ran for help, though I   
know in my heart that it has only been a few minutes.  
"Drizzt..," I call softly, hoping that you still are at a place   
where you may hear me. "Ye're missin' the sunrise..."  
"Am I..? It is.. still so dark...," you mutter, barely audible,   
pausing shortly to breathe after almost every word. "You should.. go   
inside.. it's.. too cold.. to be.. out in..."   
I feel as my heart skips a beat of fear. Though it is early autum,   
it is still warm for the norm of Icewind Dale, and as I place a hand on   
your cheek, I can feel the cold spreading through you.  
"Please stay, Drizzt," I whisper, fighting to keep my tears abay.   
"Please hold on... They'll be here any time now. They'll be here!"  
Yet, I know that they will not make it.  
"Bruenor. Guen.. hwyvar.." You pause, and I can see your inner   
battle to stay alive painted on your face. "Is to.. go to... Regis..."  
The lump in my throat makes it difficult for me to swallow - I   
realise that you have given up. Had it been at any other time, had it been   
when you had not accepted Death's coming, then I could have held hope. Yet,   
I could see the determination on your face, as you forced the statuette   
into my hand, and made me swear to bring it on to Rumblebelly. To protect   
your best friend.  
So long had I known that you would be there when I returned to the   
rocks from whence I once came. That you would be there when Catti-Brie   
followed me. But never had I considered the fact that I, perhaps, would see   
you take your last breath. How ironic Fate sometimes can be...  
And I watch with you as the sun starts to rise, while I hold you in   
my arms, dwelling in the sound of your breathing, treasuring each beyond   
the value of any gem that can be dug out of the rocks.  
Then I hear the sounds of yelling voices, and recognize the one of   
my Catti-brie among them. But they will not make it here in time. I know   
that now.  
Somewhere near us, I hear the neighing of a horse. It surprises me,   
as I know that there are no horses anywhere near. But when I look up, I see   
the outline of the horse in the distance - only that it is not a horse, but   
a unicorn. And while I look, it starts walking towards us, yet, I feel   
nothing but peace.  
Still holding you in my arms, still fearing to let go, I watch in   
awe as the beautiful creature stops right in front of us and bents its head   
to you. And, as if in a dream, I see a shadowy figure rise from your body   
and grab around the unicorn's neck. And when it lifts its head again,   
taking the shadow with it, I feel your body go limb in my grasp. A wind   
rises, and it seems as if the unicorn is blown away, dissappearing into the   
air surrounding it, so smoothly that I feel it as if my eyes decieves me.  
And I know that Meilikki has brought you home. 


End file.
